Public School in the equivalent of our 'decile 1' suburb (or below).
The most unique learning environments I have EVER seen (Check out the 'Dragon Boat' the 'Buck Rogers Spaceship' (work in progress) and the 'Fire Truck'. Each structure is multi purpose and double story.
Learning spaces consisted of 3 to four 'home' classes (up to 100 learners in each space)
Three teachers facilitated each learning space with defined roles (eg Rover)
Learners entered into a 'contract' for discovery time (blocks of explicit teaching were 'directed' when required eg Achievement/Assessment linked)
Not all classes open environment, seniors more 'structured' - Reggio only clearly visible in Junior school.
VERY forward thinking Principal (who was in his 70's!) and Senior Leadership Team.
"Igniting the spark of discovery" "Provocation" "Inviting the children to participate"
Large open plan 70's style (eg Aorangi and Kawaha Point style)
P.C no Macs except for in new TV Station which was being built.
Have a Radio Station, Green Screen Room (about to have two of each)
Sure programme in action with small groups rotating and interacting as well as specialist teachers in action (eg Environmental Studies)
2 outside sealed screens one with an Xbox and Kinect and one with a Playstation - available for children through out the day and during interval and lunchtime.
School has won numerous academic and creative awards.
Unfortunately my battery ran out on my iphone while
at Lynbrook so don't have many photo's. Lesson learnt, battery drains
quickly when taking photo's all day!
Takeaways:
Large rapidly growing public school (800+ pupils with an expected 1100 next year).
Passionate Principal whose wife is also one of the Deputy Principal's.
School only 7 years old, unique environment set in native belt with wide open spaces surrounding it
Strong values system
A young vibrant staff
Music an ICT major focus through out whole school
Large number of small prefabs with 'open' walls between to create more space.
The school holds an annual ICT Conference.
Theme:Leading the quality, relevance and effectiveness of schools through digital technology and learning networks.
Keynotes:
Context:
This conference was a leadership conference. It was about understanding what it takes to use digital technology and learning networks well and broadly, to improve the quality, relevance and effectiveness of schools.
Delegates got the opportunity to reflect on: what it takes to lead a school in the “digital age”; the way in which our “digital age” students learn and their digital skills; the digital capacity of the home and the parents’ role in teaching; and schools’ efforts to use digital technology collaboratively, in a networked environment.
The conference focused on the value of using digital technology and networking in all aspects of a school’s operations to improve educational outcomes – not only in the classroom. Schools well along the path of providing a strong digital education are working with digital technology to: personalise and extend learning; enable leadership and governance; support professional learning; connect learning beyond the school; improve assessment and reporting; access and utilise student information; provide, access and manage teaching and learning resources; automate business processes; and provide reliable infrastructure. Many of these areas of schooling were explored.
http://www.woorannaparkps.vic.edu.au/
Visit this site for more information:
http://www.reggioemiliaapproach.net/
http://www.bialik.vic.edu.au
David Perkins
http://pzweb.harvard.edu/pis/DP.htm
http://www.silverton-ps.vic.edu.au/
http://www.lynbrookps.vic.edu.au/
Unfortunately my battery ran out on my iphone while
at Lynbrook so don't have many photo's. Lesson learnt, battery drains
quickly when taking photo's all day!
Theme: Leading the quality, relevance and effectiveness of schools through digital technology and learning networks.
Keynotes:
Context:
This conference was a leadership conference. It was about understanding what it takes to use digital technology and learning networks well and broadly, to improve the quality, relevance and effectiveness of schools.
Delegates got the opportunity to reflect on: what it takes to lead a school in the “digital age”; the way in which our “digital age” students learn and their digital skills; the digital capacity of the home and the parents’ role in teaching; and schools’ efforts to use digital technology collaboratively, in a networked environment.
The conference focused on the value of using digital technology and networking in all aspects of a school’s operations to improve educational outcomes – not only in the classroom. Schools well along the path of providing a strong digital education are working with digital technology to: personalise and extend learning; enable leadership and governance; support professional learning; connect learning beyond the school; improve assessment and reporting; access and utilise student information; provide, access and manage teaching and learning resources; automate business processes; and provide reliable infrastructure. Many of these areas of schooling were explored.